Having shared breakfast with our house guests – seen them on their way – we sat for half hour with a coffee, but I quickly got itchy feet and, as Annabel wanted to have a lazy Sunday, I decided to head down to the Watercress, Midhants Steam Railway.
Annabel kindly agreed to drop me off, but unfortunately flooding on the lanes meant my plan of starting the journey at Four Marks was altered, and instead I arrived just in time at Ropley to catch the train down to Alresford.
An initial intention was to just sit on the train and go back and forward along the line, but having bought my ticket and caught the train back to Alton, I decided at Medstead & Four Marks Station to jump off and enjoy the exhibition on goods traffic and – hopefully sneak into the signal box – the only one beyond Alton I hadn’t visited on the Watercress line.
I was glad I did, as today is the last day the signal box is going to be in operation for quite a while, as the Watercress line replaces the box with a ‘temporary’ electronic box further up the platform. It will be a shame not to see the signals being worked from the box, but the reasons make sense given volunteer numbers and the condition of the frame.
Privileged then, I was allowed to pull a signal and work the interlock – hence I ‘may’ become one of the last people to have operated this particular signalbox.
From Four Marks, I went back up the line to Ropley, and popped into their signalbox for a half hour, before heading to Alton on the last train of the day.
A lovely day exploring by myself, and a chance to learn a little about my new camera.
Evening was spent with sharing a meal with some friends in the village. Chatted about music and dogs by the fire.